Marauders

As the 2025 NBA Playoffs begin, the Western Conference presents no shortage of compelling narratives and unanswered questions. Each team comes in with a storyline that could define their entire postseason. From young squads making their playoff debut to experienced rosters led by superstars, here's the biggest question facing each Western Conference playoff team.
Oklahoma City Thunder &mdash; Can their historic defense carry over to the playoffs?
The Oklahoma City Thunder have fielded the league&rsquo;s best defense this season, boasting a 106.6 defensive rating &mdash; the lowest mark in the NBA and one of the best over the past decade. Anchored by a core of versatile perimeter defenders like Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, along with interior enforcer Isaiah Hartenstein and shot blocker Chet Holmgren, the Thunder built a defensive identity predicated on length, switchability, and relentless pressure.
But as history has shown, regular-season defense doesn&rsquo;t always translate to playoff dominance. Matchups become more intentional, rotations tighten, and elite scorers are given room to manipulate even the best schemes. For a team like OKC that leans heavily on team defense rather than individual stoppers, their system will be tested in a postseason series where adjustments are key. Moreover, the Thunder&rsquo;s youth &ndash; despite being a strength in the regular season &ndash; may also be a vulnerability when the game slows down and every possession is magnified.
This Thunder squad has the makings of a historically great defense, but now comes the true test: whether that same system can hold up when a superstar like Luka Doncic or Steph Curry start hunting matchups in isolation. If OKC can sustain their defensive intensity in a seven-game series, their path to a deep run remains wide open.
Houston Rockets &mdash; Will their inexperience hinder them from going too far?
After years of rebuilding, the Houston Rockets are finally back in the playoffs &mdash; and this time, with a young core brimming with talent. Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson are all making their playoff debuts, and they&rsquo;ve formed a competitive group that finished with the fifth-best defense in the league (110.3 DRtg) and earned the second seed. Their turnaround under head coach Ime Udoka has been remarkable, fueled by a defense-first identity and the emergence of Sengun as one of the best passing bigs in the league.
However, playoff basketball is a different beast. It&rsquo;s about adjustments, discipline, and poise under pressure &ndash; things young teams usually need time to learn. In their first-round matchup, the Rockets face the battle-tested Golden State Warriors, a team that features championship experience across the board. Houston&rsquo;s youth could be exposed if the moment becomes too big, especially with Golden State&rsquo;s ability to dissect inexperience through smart off-ball actions and defensive schemes.
Players like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, the Rockets&rsquo; veterans, will be counted on to provide leadership and stabilize the team when things go sideways. But this postseason will ultimately serve as a litmus test for how ready the Rockets&rsquo; young stars are to take the leap. Even if they fall short, the experience could be invaluable moving forward.
Los Angeles Lakers &mdash; How viable is their roster construction?
The Lakers shocked the league by acquiring Luka Doncic midseason, pairing him with LeBron James and Austin Reaves to form a high-powered offensive trio. Since then, they&rsquo;ve leaned heavily into small-ball, often starting lineups with Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith alongside the core trio, while Jaxson Hayes remains their only true center. First-year head coach JJ Redick has installed a modern, five-out system that prioritizes spacing and switchable defense &mdash; a style tailor-made for the postseason.
But viability is still a concern. While the offense has thrived, their defense has some slippages, particularly when LeBron and Luka are on the floor together. Their lack of rim protection and size could be exploited by teams that boast elite drivers to the rim. Additionally, the wear-and-tear of postseason play could take a toll on their aging core, especially LeBron, who is playing his 22nd season and logging heavy minutes in the postseason
Ultimately, the Lakers&rsquo; playoff ceiling hinges on whether their current roster configuration &ndash; heavy on wings, light on bigs &ndash; can hold up when the game slows down and physicality ramps up. If it works, Redick could be hailed as a tactical genius. If it doesn&rsquo;t, questions about roster balance and long-term direction will resurface.
Denver Nuggets &mdash; Do they have enough help around Nikola Jokic?
Nikola Jokic is once again doing everything for the Denver Nuggets &mdash; and doing it at an MVP level. He finished the regular season averaging a triple-double and top 3 in every major statistical category. His ability to control the game as both scorer and facilitator remains unmatched, and he remains the engine of everything Denver does offensively. But after a sluggish finish to the season, the biggest concern for the Nuggets is whether Jokic has enough help to mount another deep playoff run.
Jamal Murray has battled through injuries and hasn&rsquo;t quite looked like the same dynamic scorer from their 2023 championship run. Michael Porter Jr. has been inconsistent, while Aaron Gordon&rsquo;s offensive impact has waned due to multiple injuries. Denver&rsquo;s bench has also taken a step back this year, with limited contributions outside of Russell Westbrook, Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson.
If Murray can elevate his game and Porter Jr. can knock down shots consistently, Denver remains a title threat. But the margin for error is much slimmer than last year. Jokic can only carry so much weight &ndash; the Nuggets need their supporting cast to deliver, or another early exit could be looming.
Los Angeles Clippers &mdash; Can we see James Harden and Kawhi Leonard lead this team to playoff glory?
After losing Paul George to free agency last summer, many assumed the Clippers&rsquo; title window had slammed shut. But the resurgence of James Harden and Kawhi Leonard has breathed life back into their playoff hopes. Harden has embraced the role of primary playmaker, averaging 22.8 points and 8.7 assists per game, while Leonard has quietly had one of the most efficient scoring seasons of his career in recent years, shooting 49.8% from the field and 41.1% from deep.
The Clippers finished the season strong with their offense clicking and defense holding steady. Yet the question remains &ndash; can their two stars carry them through the gauntlet of the Western Conference? Leonard&rsquo;s health has always been a question mark, and Harden&rsquo;s playoff track record has been a mixed bag at best.&nbsp;
This postseason may be one of the last chances for this iteration of the Clippers to make a real push. If Harden and Kawhi can replicate their regular-season success and stay healthy, they could make noise. Along with steady role players like Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers are darkhorse contenders and will be dangerous out in the West.
Minnesota Timberwolves &mdash; How will Julius Randle perform in the playoffs?
Minnesota shocked many by acquiring Julius Randle at the trade deadline, moving on from Karl-Anthony Towns in the process. The Wolves hoped that Randle, a more physical and downhill-oriented forward, would provide a better playoff fit alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. However, Randle&rsquo;s postseason history raises concerns &mdash; in 15 career playoff games, he&rsquo;s averaged just 15.6 points on 34.4% shooting from the field.
Minnesota will need more than that if they hope to build on last year&rsquo;s conference finals run. Randle must adapt his game to playoff basketball, where defenses are better prepared and isolation-heavy play often becomes less efficient. His ability to stretch the floor, make quick decisions, and play through contact will be tested, especially against elite defenses like OKC.
If Randle rises to the occasion, Minnesota could have one of the most balanced starting fives in the conference. But if he reverts to his inefficient playoff habits, the Wolves could find themselves stalling in critical moments &ndash; a risk that looms large in what could be a defining postseason for the franchise.
Golden State Warriors &mdash; How far can Jimmy Butler take them?
The Warriors made arguably the boldest trade of the deadline by acquiring Jimmy Butler from Miami, forming a star duo with Stephen Curry. Since the move, Golden State has looked rejuvenated, going on a tear to close the regular season and boasting the third-best net rating in the league during that span (+7.2). Butler&rsquo;s leadership, defense, and shot creation have given the Warriors a legitimate second option and re-energized their playoff outlook.
Butler has a proven playoff track record &ndash; he led the Heat to two Finals appearances in four years &ndash; and is widely regarded as one of the most clutch postseason performers. His fit with Golden State has been seamless, and the team&rsquo;s defense has improved significantly, ranking 6th in opponent points per game since the trade. The question is how far Butler can carry this version of the Warriors, who still lean heavily on their aging core.
If Butler can replicate his past postseason heroics and stay healthy, the Warriors have a real shot to upset higher-seeded teams and return to the Finals.
Memphis Grizzlies &mdash; Can they survive this tough season?
No team has faced more adversity this year than the Memphis Grizzlies. Between Ja Morant&rsquo;s on-court antics, injuries to key players, and coaching instability and firing, Memphis stumbled to a slump at the end of the regular season but managed to squeak into the playoffs as the 8-seed. Despite the chaos, the team has shown remarkable resilience, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and rookie Zach Edey emerging as bright spots with their improved play.
Now they face the top-seeded Thunder in a first-round matchup that few give them a chance to win. But if there&rsquo;s one thing the Grizzlies have shown, it&rsquo;s that they won&rsquo;t go down without a fight. Their defense could keep them competitive, and their physical style of play may pose problems for the Thunder.
Ultimately, the playoffs may serve more as a building block than a real title push. But if Memphis can steal a game or two &mdash; or even push OKC to the brink &mdash; it would be a testament to the team&rsquo;s grit and foundation heading into next season.

Breaking down the biggest question each Western Conference team faces heading into the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

2025 NBA Western Conference Playoffs: Each team’s biggest question in the playoffs

LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have become synonymous with the sport of basketball, serving as the gold standard for this generation of players and drawing in fans from all over the world.
Aside from 2021 and 2023, every NBA Finals series since 2011 has featured one of James, Curry or Durant. The trio have a combined 44 All-Star appearances, and at the 2024 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, we got to watch them play together on the same team for the first time ever.
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Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant all on the same team for the first time ever tonight 🔥✊ <a href="https://t.co/uUaAKwxaVr">pic.twitter.com/uUaAKwxaVr</a>
&mdash; Guru (@DrGuru_) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrGuru_/status/1759349903652995079?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
Seeing the faces of the NBA share the court as teammates was a lot of fun and left fans wanting for more.
Enter Team USA.
The world might witness these three legends team up once again in the coming months &mdash; this time while donning the red, white and blue. in hopes of leading Team USA to a fifth consecutive gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
While we got a taste of the trio during NBA All-Star Weekend, fans would love to see them in a competitive environment. Curry&rsquo;s otherworldly shooting, James' IQ and playmaking, plus Durant&rsquo;s deadly three-level scoring with extremely high stakes? That would be something to behold.
James, Curry and Durant are all highly intelligent basketball players who complement each other really well, so it would likely be a seamless transition on Team USA.
All three have expressed their interest in playing for the national team and were <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/usa-basketball-announces-player-pool-for-team-usas-2024-mens-national-team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently included in the player pool that Team USA announced</a>.
Although the NBA season is still ongoing and a lot can still happen between now and July, but barring injuries or any unforeseen circumstances, the three global basketball icons will likely lead Team USA&rsquo;s pursuit for the gold medal in this year&rsquo;s Olympic Games. This hunt for the gold will coincide with the 50th anniversary of USA Basketball, making their run even more special.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Beautiful, isn't it? Breaking down our 50th Anniversary logo 👇<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAB50?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USAB50</a> 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/O4F7odCkWY">pic.twitter.com/O4F7odCkWY</a>
&mdash; USA Basketball (@usabasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/usabasketball/status/1749606150721388855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
The American trio will aim to replicate the success of their predecessors from the original &ldquo;Dream Team&rdquo; in 1992 when NBA superstars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird won the gold medal in Barcelona.
James, 39, has won three Olympic medals for Team USA (one bronze and two golds) with the last one coming 12 years ago when he won gold in London. The NBA&rsquo;s all-time leading scorer has expressed interest in suiting up for Team USA once again, and he has been in contact with several other NBA stars to join him including Curry and Durant. James&rsquo; impressive track record for his national team speaks for itself. After serving Team USA for eight years from 2004 to 2012, he is second all-time in games played (24) for Team USA.&nbsp;
The 35-year-old Curry has yet to play for Team USA in the Olympics. Curry already has two FIBA World Championships in his trophy case, which also includes four NBA championships and two NBA MVPs, but winning an Olympic gold medal might be the cherry on top of what has been an illustrious career. Curry has notably shown interest in playing for Team USA in the Olympic Games, and he is very likely to do so this year. With Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also calling the shots for Team USA, it makes a lot of sense for Curry to make his Olympic debut in Paris.
Finally, Durant is arguably the most accomplished Team USA player of all-time. Winning three Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016 and 2020-21) and a FIBA World Championship (2010), Team USA&rsquo;s &ldquo;Captain America&rdquo; is gunning for his record-setting fourth Olympic Gold medal. (He's currently tied with fellow USA great Carmelo Anthony, who also has three gold medals). Durant winning another gold medal would likely solidify him as the greatest Team USA player of all-time (if he isn't already). A two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, Durant is one of the most lethal scorers the game has ever seen.
Aside from James, Curry and Durant &ndash; the NBA&rsquo;s most recognizable faces &ndash; who else will don the red, white and blue? The other finalists for the 2024 USA Men&rsquo;s national team are Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Jimmy Butler, Alex Caruso, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, Joel Embiid, De&rsquo;Aaron Fox, Paul George, Aaron Gordon, Tyrese Haliburton, James Harden, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Jrue Holiday, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie Irving, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Trae Young.
With James, Curry and Durant leading the way, Team USA will the favorite in Paris. However, they'll face stiff competition from the rest of the world, particularly world-champion Germany and star-studded squads like Australia and Team Canada. Generational international talents like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama will look to dethrone Team USA.
This iteration of the Olympics is shaping up to be the hardest challenge the Americans will ever face, and hopefully James, Curry and Durant will be at the forefront of it all. In likely their last dance in international competition, James, Curry and Durant will surely want to ride off into the sunset wearing gold medals around their necks.

The next time LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are playing together, it will be with Team USA during the Paris Olympics.

LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant set to team up again — this time for USA

The article was initially published on BasketballNews on April 6, 2022.
Anyone else love going back and looking at old box scores and falling down afternoon-long rabbit holes, or am I the weirdo?
You might&rsquo;ve read the headline and either recalled this event actually happening, or are befuddled at how such a thing could take place, even in that NBA.
This article, published on April 6, 2022, marks 25 years since the Del Harris-led Los Angeles Lakers held Jim Cleamons and his Dallas Mavericks to 2 points in the third quarter of a regular-season game.
The contest was held at the LA Forum, where a 50-24 Laker team met a 22-53 Mavs squad with two weeks remaining before the playoffs started. Staples wasn&rsquo;t that big yet, and Crypto didn&rsquo;t exist. (Some might say it still doesn&rsquo;t, but you can fight about that amongst yourselves.)
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A large-ass, Biggie verse-having, All-Star center named Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal had been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/14/sports/injury-to-o-neal-is-a-blow-to-lakers.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">out with a knee injury</a> suffered that February, which he returned from five days later. Something tells me, if you made it here, you&rsquo;ve heard of him. Also on the Lakers, quite famously, was a talented rookie named Kobe Bryant, who had been playing regular rotation minutes at 18 years old, but wasn&rsquo;t yet Kobe.
The Mavericks had traded a controversial-but-talented point guard in Jason Kidd earlier in the season &mdash; along with Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer &mdash; to the Phoenix Suns for a package highlighted by Michael Finley, Sam Cassell and A.C. Green. They also dealt Jamal Mashburn to the Miami Heat several weeks later for Kurt Thomas, Sasa Danilović and Martin M&uuml;&uuml;rsepp.
And right before the deadline, Dallas rerouted Cassell as part of a five-man package including Jim Jackson, George McCloud (who wound up on the Lakers retroactively), Eric Montross and Chris Gatling for Shawn Bradley, Khalid Reeves, Robert Pack and Ed O&rsquo;Bannon &mdash; famously the Most Outstanding Player of the 1995 Final Four, and <a href="https://www.primerus.com/business-law-articles/ed-obannon-shines-a-light-upon-student-athletes-right-of-publicity-624201.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killer of EA's NCAA Football and NCAA Basketball video game franchises</a>. This move not only cemented Dallas&rsquo; rebuild, but it officially made way for a <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2018/06/06/flashback-jamal-mashburn-on-what-really-happened-between-jason-kidd-jim-jackson-and-toni-braxton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toni Braxton-less future in Texas</a>.
The Mavericks, <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DAL/1997_games.html">who came in as losers of 10 straight heading into this game</a> &mdash; a lengthy skid that never saw the team score more than 92 points &mdash; went into Hollywood and started Pack, Finley, Green, Bradley and Derek Harper. Without Shaq, the Lakers began with Derek Fisher, Eddie Jones, Jerome Kersey, Corie Blount and Sean Rooks, who played a game-high 43 minutes (33 over his season average).
<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199704060LAL.html">The Mavericks led 30-17 after the first quarter and 51-37 at halftime</a>. The teams combined to attempt 12 threes in the first half, which most teams would typically combine to do in a quarter today. The Mavericks shot 21 of 44 from the field and outrebounded the Lakers 24-16 while holding L.A. to 12 of 32 shooting.
Bryant and Robert Horry went a combined 2 of 9 off the bench, and Rooks had logged 10 points and 7 boards to that point. Harper and Finley combined for 25 points on 9 of 15 shooting, while Bradley had 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Okay, now let's get to why you&rsquo;re here.
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Not only did the Mavericks score 2 points in the entire third quarter, but the points came from a pair of Harper free throws with 1:51 left in the quarter. So it took over 10 minutes to even get on the board in this period.
Anyway, the Mavericks shot 0 of 15 from the field for the quarter and missed all 4 of their three-balls. They also had 9 turnovers and only made one substitution over the entire 12 minutes, removing Pack for Sa&scaron;a Danilović about halfway through the third. That meant Green, Harper, Finley and Bradley were each a minus-25 for the quarter, and Pack was a minus-20.
For good measure, the Mavericks third quarter could be summed up like this:
<ul>
<li>Points: 2</li>
<li>Fouls: 3</li>
</ul>
The Lakers outscored the Mavericks 27-2 and still just led 64-53 after three. L.A. shot 10 of 17 in the quarter, made 5 of 7 triples, only needed to pull down 8 rebounds and turned the ball over just twice.
The Mavs outdid their horrific third quarter only 48 seconds into the fourth with two layups. They even cut their deficit to as close as 7 points in garbage time before the Lakers pulled away with a 87-80 win.
Fisher scored 21 points &mdash; not even close to a career-high for him &mdash; but to that point, his highest point tally had been just 14. In fact, the 21 points would remain a career-best mark for Fisher until he netted 26 points on March 13, 2001 in a win over the Boston Celtics four years later.
Sean &ldquo;2019 Bam Adebayo&rdquo; Rooks ended the night with 15 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks. Bryant logged about 22 minutes off the bench, netting 13 points on 3 of 9 shooting, also finishing with 3 steals and going a perfect 5 of 5 at the free-throw line.
Harper led the Mavs with 18 points on 6 of 15 shooting. Finley only put up 9 shots in over 34 minutes of play. The next time he put up just 9 shots in that many minutes? <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203310WAS.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 31, 2002</a>.
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So, what ended up happening to these two teams? Glad you asked!
The Lakers finished 56-26 and fourth in the Western Conference, sweeping the Kenny Anderson, Isaiah Rider, and Rasheed Wallace-led Portland Trail Blazers in Round 1. Then, in the West semifinals, L.A. fell to the No. 1 seed Utah Jazz, who eventually lost to the Chicago Bulls in the 1997 NBA Finals. The Lakers still had a few more years of Harris before Phil Jackson eventually came to clean things up prior to the 1999-2002 three-peat era.
The Mavericks finished 24-58 and were actually still fourth in the Midwest Division among seven teams, completing 1996-97 with only the sixth-worst record in the league. Unfortunately, they didn&rsquo;t own their own draft pick, but fortunately, the Celtics &mdash; who had it at No. 6 &mdash; used it on Ron Mercer, so it wasn&rsquo;t an egregious miss.
Tracy McGrady did go No. 9 overall, and the Mavs did settle on Kelvin Cato at No. 15, but they landed with a kid named Dirk Nowitzki in the 1998 NBA Draft after another 20-win season.
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Bryan Fonseca revisits when the Mavericks only mustered a measly 2 points in the third quarter against the Lakers.

Revisiting the time the Mavericks scored just 2 points in a quarter

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, and the Denver Nuggets advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in team history Monday night, sweeping the Western Conference finals with a 113-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jamal Murray scored 25 points for the top-seeded Nuggets, who overcame LeBron James&rsquo; 31-point first half and a 15-point halftime deficit with a tenacious finish in Game 4 to earn their first conference title in their 47 NBA seasons.
James finished with 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists after the highest-scoring postseason half of his career, but even the top scorer in NBA history couldn&rsquo;t keep the deep, dynamic Nuggets from their sixth consecutive victory overall.
James missed two tying shots in the final seconds, with Aaron Gordon appearing to block his shot at the buzzer.
Jokic earned his eighth triple-double of the playoffs by the third quarter, breaking Wilt Chamberlain&rsquo;s 1967 NBA record for triple-doubles in a single postseason. The Serbian big man also led the Nuggets&rsquo; tenacious defensive effort despite picking up his fifth foul midway through the fourth quarter &mdash; and when Denver needed a big basket, Jokic delivered that as well.
The Lakers erased a seven-point deficit and tied it with five minutes to play, but Jokic hit a 25-foot fallaway 3-pointer. After Anthony Davis hit two free throws to tie it with 1:11 left, Jokic muscled his way past Davis for the tiebreaking layup.
James then badly missed a strange fallaway jumper with 26 seconds left. After Murray missed a turnaround to give the Lakers one last chance, James&rsquo; drive at the buzzer was thwarted by Murray and Gordon, who scored 22 points.
The Nuggets will cap their superb season under coach Michael Malone by playing for their first NBA championship. Denver both eliminated the Lakers for the first time in eight playoff meetings and swept a playoff series for the first time, likely earning several days off before the finals.
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Nikola Jokic and Michael Malone celebrate the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history <a href="https://t.co/Ic7y6hkkeZ">pic.twitter.com/Ic7y6hkkeZ</a>
&mdash; Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/1660851131042414598?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 23, 2023</a></blockquote>

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Unless the Boston Celtics make basketball history by rallying from their 3-0 deficit in the East finals, Denver will host the eighth-seeded Miami Heat to open the NBA Finals, beginning June 1.
James scored 21 points in the first quarter and worked desperately to keep the Lakers competitive in the final game of his 20th NBA season. But the Lakers couldn&rsquo;t even force a Game 5, with an apparently exhausted Davis scoring 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and adding 14 rebounds.
Austin Reaves scored 17 points for the Lakers, who were swept in a playoff series for the 11th time in team history, including nine best-of-seven series.
The loss ended seventh-seeded Los Angeles&rsquo; incredible turnaround after starting the season 2-10 under new coach Darvin Ham. After bolstering their roster at the trade deadline and surging into the postseason with two months of strong play, the Lakers then knocked off second-seeded Memphis and eliminated defending champion Golden State to stir their worldwide fans&rsquo; hopes for one of the most unlikely championship runs in NBA history.
Facing elimination for the first time in their remarkable playoff run, James and the Lakers responded with their best half of the series, taking a 73-58 halftime lead on James&rsquo; broad shoulders. He had 21 points in the first quarter, tying his playoff career high for a quarter in his record 282nd postseason game. He then matched his career high for points in any first half.
But the Nuggets responded with a relentless third quarter, taking their first lead less than eight minutes after halftime. Denver pushed its lead to seven before the Lakers rallied, with Davis&rsquo; putback dunk tying it with 5:02 to play.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope converted a four-point play in the first quarter. He finished with 13 points. ... The Nuggets have yet to trail in any series, and they&rsquo;re 8-0 at home in the playoffs &ndash; 10-0 since March. Denver is 12-3 overall in the postseason.
Lakers: James got an accidental 3-pointer in the first half when his lob pass to Rui Hachimura went in the basket. ... Ham shook up his starting lineup for the Lakers&rsquo; last chance, replacing struggling D&rsquo;Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt with Dennis Schr&ouml;der and Hachimura. The moves immediately worked, with the two new starters combining for 19 points in the first half. ... James&rsquo; 21 points were the most by a Lakers player in a playoff first quarter since at least 1997. ... Veteran Tristan Thompson had four points in 10 minutes during the most significant playing time of his Lakers career, which began in the final weekend of the regular season. &hellip; Kyrie Irving watched the game from courtside. The star free-agent guard has been linked to a reunion with James on the Lakers next season. Other fans at courtside included Vin Diesel, Adam Sandler and Aaron Donald.

Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, and the Nuggets advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in team history.

Jokic leads Nuggets to first NBA Finals, eliminating LeBron's Lakers

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Jamal Murray scored 37 points, Nikola Jokic added 24 points and eight assists, and the Denver Nuggets rolled to a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals with a 119-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half against his former team for the top-seeded Nuggets, who have never been this close to the NBA Finals in 47 years in the league.
Denver blew a big early lead in Game 3, but made a decisive 13-0 run in the fourth quarter to snap the Lakers&rsquo; nine-game home winning streak since March 26, including seven straight victories since the regular season ended.
No team has rallied from a 3-0 playoff series deficit in NBA history. Game 4 is Monday night in Los Angeles.
Anthony Davis had 28 points and 18 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who hadn&rsquo;t lost three straight games since early February. Los Angeles&rsquo; prolonged, desperate surge ever since the trade deadline has finally run out of steam against the powerhouse Nuggets, who have won five consecutive playoff games.
LeBron James had 23 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds for Los Angeles, hitting three 3-pointers after starting the series 0 for 13 from distance. Austin Reaves added 23 points and seven rebounds, but Rui Hachimura was the only other Lakers scorer to crack double figures with 13 points.
Jokic&rsquo;s streak of four consecutive triple-doubles ended in a fairly quiet game for the two-time MVP. But Murray scored 17 points in a dynamic first quarter following his 23-point fourth quarter two nights ago, and he had 30 points by halftime of Game 3.
Bruce Brown scored 15 points and hit a key 3-pointer down the stretch for the Nuggets before Jokic all but iced it on a 3-pointer with 3:17 to play.
The Lakers&rsquo; passionate fans turned out in force for the 17-time champion franchise&rsquo;s first conference finals games at home since 2010, the year of their last title. Los Angeles tried desperately to get back in the series, with James playing 43 minutes after spraining his left ankle in Game 2 on top of his already sore right foot.
But the Nuggets&rsquo; flight to the coast didn&rsquo;t cool off Murray in the slightest: After lighting up the Lakers to close Game 2, the Canadian guard made his first five shots in Game 3 and poured in 17 points in the first quarter &mdash; even while Jokic went scoreless for the second straight quarter.
Murray&rsquo;s fourth 3-pointer of the night made him 11 of 13 from the field for 26 points midway through the second quarter, scoring more than half of Denver&rsquo;s points at an unbelievable pace. Reaves and Davis kept the Lakers in it, with Reaves racking up 15 points, three assists and three rebounds in the second quarter alone.
Hachimura&rsquo;s 3-pointer early in the fourth gave the Lakers their first lead since the opening minutes, but the Nuggets took charge again in a rally highlighted by Brown&rsquo;s 3-pointer with 7:02 to play, after which he taunted the Lakers&rsquo; bench with Los Angeles&rsquo; own &ldquo;Freeze&rdquo; 3-point celebration.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell had another rough game for the Lakers, scoring three points on 1-of-8 shooting in 20 minutes. Russell was the Lakers&rsquo; biggest addition in their trade deadline transformation, but the point guard has just 21 points in this three-game series.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Aaron Gordon had seven points in 32 minutes. ... Michael Porter Jr. had 14 points and 10 rebounds, capped by a 3-pointer in the final 90 seconds.
Lakers: Backup C Mo Bamba missed his ninth consecutive game with a sore left ankle. The team is hopeful Bamba can play at some point in this series. ... Fans near courtside included Jack Nicholson, Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, Andy Garcia, Dyan Cannon, Ken Jeong, Joel McHale, LA Kings captain Anze Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty, and Khalil Mack, Derwin James and Sebastian Joseph-Day from the Los Angeles Chargers&rsquo; defense.

The Denver Nuggets rolled to a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals with a 119-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

Nuggets on brink of NBA Finals with 119-108 win over Lakers in Game 3

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Although the Los Angeles Lakers&rsquo; late-season transformation is one of this NBA season&rsquo;s best stories, LeBron James and his teammates finally appear to be running out of steam in the Western Conference finals.
They&rsquo;ve also finally run into an opponent capable of making sure this story doesn&rsquo;t have a completely happy ending.
After looking weary and mistake-prone in Denver during their first back-to-back losses in over two months, the Lakers face a must-win Game 3 Saturday.
Los Angeles has been on a prolonged roll ever since the trade deadline, going 27-12 while surging into the playoff picture, winning a play-in game and knocking out two higher-seeded opponents in six games. But that roll has finally been slowed by Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and the respect-hungry Nuggets, whose superior late-game play was the reason they&rsquo;re up 2-0.
&ldquo;This is not the NCAA Tournament,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the first team to four wins. We have an opportunity to go home and play great basketball and hold serve. Until a team beats you four times, you always have an opportunity to come out of it. So that&rsquo;s the confidence that we should have. I know it&rsquo;s going to be a tough hill to climb up, but we still have an opportunity to play the best basketball of the series in Game 3.&rdquo;
The Lakers insist they&rsquo;re not as tired as they looked for stretches of both games in Denver, when they settled for too many jumpers, ran the court less effectively and lost a fraction of their defensive intensity. James and Anthony Davis both say the fatigue of this relentless two-month sprint toward title contention isn&rsquo;t finally too much for a team that altered half of its roster just three months ago.
&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re not tired in the postseason...,&rdquo; James said after LA&rsquo;s 108-103 loss in Game 2. &ldquo;I mean, everybody&rsquo;s tired.&rdquo;
But James&rsquo; weariness appears to be evident in his jump shot &mdash; and in his reliance on that shot instead of the more physically demanding task of driving to the hoop. The top scorer in NBA history went 0 for 6 on 3-pointers in Game 2, making him 0 for 10 in the series. He has also missed 19 consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter over the Lakers&rsquo; last 11 playoff games.
On top of the fatigue from the heavy workload for his 38-year-old body, James also sprained his left ankle in the third quarter of Game 2, although said he would be fine for Game 3.
Davis is prone to offensive inconsistency, and the stress of leading the Lakers&rsquo; defensive effort against mighty Denver may have affected him &mdash; although he insists it didn&rsquo;t. What&rsquo;s clear is that Davis&rsquo; 18-point performance on 4-of-15 shooting in Game 2 isn&rsquo;t enough from the Lakers&rsquo; franchise big man, particularly after his 40-point effort in Game 1, when the Lakers&rsquo; defense was much worse.
The Lakers are hoping for a big boost from their success-hungry home fans when they get back to their downtown arena, where they&rsquo;re 7-0 at home since the regular season ended.
&ldquo;The higher the levels you get to, you&rsquo;re going to face much, much tougher teams,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. &ldquo;No disrespect to Memphis or Golden State, but (Denver) has been at the top of the food chain for a reason. Not just this year, but the last few years. So we&rsquo;ve definitely got our work cut out for us, but we&rsquo;re going to get better from this, as we always do, and we&rsquo;ll bounce back on our home floor.&rdquo;
The Lakers had lost back-to-back games just once &mdash; in mid-March &mdash; since the trade deadline. Their late-season turnaround is still stunning after the additions of D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley along with the departures of Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn, opening up playing time for vital supporting players Austin Reaves and Dennis Schr&ouml;der.
But all that quick work might not be enough to overcome the steady togetherness of the Nuggets, who have handled the Lakers much better than their own inferiority complex.
Coach Michael Malone curiously punctuated their gritty Game 2 victory with sarcastic jabs about the basketball world&rsquo;s supposed ignorance of two-time NBA MVP Jokic&rsquo;s talents, along with criticism of a &ldquo;national narrative&rdquo; he believed was too impressed by the Lakers&rsquo; Game 1 rally.
The winningest team in the West is making its fifth consecutive playoff appearance after its sixth straight winning season, yet Malone appears to be paying close attention to television&rsquo;s talking heads while pounding the nobody-believes-in-us narrative that permeates sports, even for professional powerhouses like the Nuggets and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Perhaps that&rsquo;s because these Nuggets have never been here before: They&rsquo;re as close to the NBA Finals as this franchise has ever been, up 2-0 on a 17-time NBA champion franchise with a global brand and the sport&rsquo;s most accomplished active player.
Eliminating LeBron and the Lakers would be a signature achievement for this Denver group, and it has a chance to all but lock up the achievement with a win in Game 3.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s definitely going to be hostile there,&rdquo; Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. said. &ldquo;They still feel like they&rsquo;re in this series, obviously. It&rsquo;s the first to four. It&rsquo;s not the first to two. They&rsquo;re not going to just roll over, and now they&rsquo;re back in LA.&rdquo;

After looking weary and mistake-prone in Denver during their first back-to-back losses in over two months, the Lakers face a must-win.

Lakers look for boost after falling behind Nuggets in Conference Finals

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James had 30 points, nine rebounds and nine assists and the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors with a 122-101 victory Friday night in Game 6 of the second-round series.
The seventh-seeded Lakers will face Nikola Jokic and the top-seeded Nuggets in the Western Conference finals starting Tuesday night in Denver.
Anthony Davis had 17 points and 20 rebounds for the Lakers, who never trailed in a closeout victory that punctuated their increasingly incredible late-season surge.
Austin Reaves scored 23 points, highlighted by a 54-footer from midcourt at the halftime buzzer for the Lakers. They improved to 7-0 at home since the regular season ended with three wins in seven days over the Warriors. Los Angeles also snapped Golden State&rsquo;s streak of 28 playoff series with at least one road victory &ndash; an NBA-record run encompassing Stephen Curry&rsquo;s entire career.
Davis said he attributes the Lakers&rsquo; late-season roll to &ldquo;togetherness. We want to shock the world.&rdquo;
James, Davis and the Lakers are the first team since 2014 to eliminate Curry&rsquo;s Warriors from the playoffs before the NBA Finals. Golden State has played in six of the last eight NBA Finals, missing the playoffs entirely in the other two seasons.
Curry scored 32 points while missing 10 of his 14 3-point attempts for the sixth-seeded Warriors, whose pursuit of their fifth championship in nine seasons ended with three straight road losses and an inept offensive performance by Curry&rsquo;s teammates in Game 6, including a 3-of-19 effort by Klay Thompson, who missed 10 of his 12 3-point attempts.
The Splash Brothers were far too dry when it mattered against the Lakers: Thompson went 10 for 36 on 3-pointers in the series&rsquo; final four games, while Curry was 14 for 49.
Donte DiVincenzo had a playoff-high 16 points for the Warriors, but Curry was their only starter in double figures, with the other four shooting 11 for 38.
The Lakers immediately took charge in the first quarter, survived the Warriors&rsquo; few rallies and blew it open in the fourth quarter with a balanced effort led by the 38-year-old James, a four-time NBA champion. The 20-year veteran can still assert his will as forcefully as almost any elite player, and he quarterbacked the Lakers&rsquo; offensive effort while Davis played another standout defensive game.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell scored 19 points as the Lakers capably survived the third-quarter ejection of Dennis Schr&ouml;der, the sparkplug guard and primary defender on Curry. Schr&ouml;der was tossed after receiving his second technical foul of the night from an exchange with Draymond Green, but his absence scarcely seemed to help the Warriors, who couldn&rsquo;t make their open shots far too often.
The Lakers haven&rsquo;t lost back-to-back games since March 17, and they&rsquo;ve lost just once at home since March 26. On a 27-12 roll since bolstering their supporting cast around James and Davis at the trade deadline, Los Angeles is headed to the conference finals for the second time in the superstars&rsquo; four-year partnership.
After knocking off the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in six games in the first round, the Lakers followed that series&rsquo; exact win-loss pattern against the champs: Steal Game 1 on the road, and then coolly capitalize on their homecourt advantage to seal the series with three straight wins in front of their frenzied, celebrity-studded crowds.
Schr&ouml;der had five assists and defended doggedly in his first start of the postseason for the Lakers, but the German points guard was ejected on a curious call after Green pushed the ball into Schr&ouml;der&rsquo;s face.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State went a dismal 13-35 on the road this year, including the postseason. ... Curry moved into 11th place on the NBA&rsquo;s career playoff scoring list, passing Dwyane Wade. ... Andrew Wiggins scored six points while playing with fractured rib cartilage, apparently resulting from a tussle with James in the fourth quarter of Game 5.
Lakers: Schr&ouml;der took the starting spot of Jarred Vanderbilt, the defensive specialist who hadn&rsquo;t made a field goal in three straight games. ... James passed Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal for fourth place on the NBA&rsquo;s career playoff rebounds list. James has played in a league-record 278 postseason games. ... Jack Nicholson was courtside for the third time in the Lakers&rsquo; last four playoff games, joined by his son, Ray. Others in attendance: Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, Bad Bunny, Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, Michael B. Jordan, Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar, Jack Harlow, Dr. Dre, Woody Harrelson, Tyler the Creator and Trae Young.

LeBron James had 30 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists, eliminating the Warriors and leading the Lakers to the Conference Finals.

LeBron James, Lakers eliminate Warriors with 122-101 victory

The NBA announced that 242 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the complete list.

NBA announces 242 early-entry candidates for 2023 NBA Draft

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic needed only five shots on his way to a league-leading 11th triple-double of the season. How's that for efficient.
&ldquo;A truly selfless superstar,&rdquo; Denver coach Michael Malone said.
Jokic finished with 14 points &mdash; a perfect 5 of 5 from the floor, 3 of 3 from the line &mdash; grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out 16 assists as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-109 on Monday night in a game where LeBron James sat out due to a sore left ankle.
&ldquo;I know a lot of players that if they took five shots in 35 minutes would be (mad) right now,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;Nikola doesn&rsquo;t care whether he takes five or 25. There&rsquo;s not many guys like him that I&rsquo;ve ever been around."
Count Lakers coach Darvin Ham as impressed. It marked the 12th triple-double in league history with five or fewer shots, according to the Nuggets.
"The way (Jokic) puts his fingerprints all over the game, that&rsquo;s a rarity, especially at his size,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s only a few of those guys in the league that&rsquo;s able to do that.&rdquo;
Jamal Murray added a season-high 34 points to help the Nuggets win their 11th straight home game. It&rsquo;s their longest home streak since capturing 12 in a row in 2018.
Denver remains tied with Memphis for the top spot in the Western Conference.
&ldquo;We did what we were supposed to do,&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;The guys came to work with a work mindset. Everybody stepped up and did their job.&rdquo;
Russell Westbrook finished with 25 points despite dislocating his pinky finger &mdash; &ldquo;I put it back in, twice,&rdquo; he explained &mdash; and Thomas Bryant added 17 along with 10 boards for the Lakers, who saw their five-game winning streak halted.
James was ruled out hours before tipoff, joining injured forward Anthony Davis (right foot) on the bench. Patrick Beverley didn't play after halftime due to a hip injury.
The Lakers entered the game without Troy Brown Jr. (strained left quadriceps), Austin Reaves (strained hamstring strain) and Lonnie Walker IV (knee tendinitis).
&ldquo;Kudos to our guys &mdash; they kept fighting and just had a couple bad turnovers, couple balls that didn&rsquo;t go our way, couple shots didn't go down,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;The group that was out there, they were competitive, then gave it their all until we couldn&rsquo;t give anymore.&rdquo;
Leading by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets saw the Lakers make a mini-run. But Murray calmed things down with a 3-pointer.
Murray's scoring spree was another big step as the point guard rounds back into form from a torn ACL that caused him to miss all of last season.
&ldquo;I was just playing my game,&rdquo; Murray said of his performance that included five of the team's 15 3-pointers.
TIP-INS
Lakers: G Kendrick Nunn had 15 points. ... G Dennis Schroder was called for a technical in the third quarter.
Nuggets: F Zeke Nnaji turned 22 on Monday. ... The Nuggets were called for two delay of game technical fouls. ... Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 16 points and Bruce Brown 15. ... It was Jokic's 87th career triple-double.
DAVIS UPDATE
The Lakers are starting the ramp-up process for Davis when they return home.
&ldquo;There are different benchmarks built within the process of the upcoming weeks and if he meets those marks and checks off those boxes, then he&rsquo;ll be back on the court,&rdquo; Ham said. &ldquo;Am I willing to put a timetable on it? No.&rdquo;
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
James was named Western Conference player of the week Monday. He averaged 35 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists over his last three games.
The 38-year-old James is 35 points away from joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as members of the NBA&rsquo;s 38,000-point club.
&nbsp;

Nikola Jokic finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and dished out 16 assists as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-109.

Murray, Jokic lead charge as Nuggets beat Lakers 122-109

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James scored 43 points to pull within 500 of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s NBA career scoring record, and the Los Angeles Lakers avenged last month&rsquo;s home loss to the Charlotte Hornets with a 121-115 victory Monday night.
James had two dunks on alley-oops, including a high-flying reverse slam off a feed from Dennis Schroder, to push his career total to 37,903 points, leaving him 484 behind Abdul-Jabbar&rsquo;s long-standing record of 38,387.
Thomas Bryant had 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Austin Reaves and Schroder each had 15 points as the Lakers (16-21) finished a 3-2 road trip.
Terry Rozier had 27 points to lead the Hornets, who have lost 13 of their last 16 games. LaMelo Ball added 24 points and Mason Plumlee had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Charlotte.
The Hornets (10-28) beat the Lakers 134-130 on Dec. 23.
James, battling ankle soreness, was on his game in this one, adding 11 rebounds and six assists to improve to 47-7 against owner Michael Jordan's Hornets.
James picked up where he left off in December, when he averaged 31.2 points over 14 games, including a 47-point effort Friday night on his 38th birthday against the Atlanta Hawks.
He was 16 of 26 from the field Monday and had 23 points in the second half.
The Lakers used a 14-0 run to open the second quarter and build a 15-point halftime lead. James began to take over in the third, scoring on drives, dunks and mid-range jumpers &mdash; he was 0 for 5 from 3-point range &mdash; while helping the Lakers push their lead to 24.
The Hornets got a huge spark late from Rozier, who had 17 points in the fourth quarter, to cut the margin to 117-113 in the final minute. But then James made four free throws down the stretch to help seal the victory.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Outrebounded the Hornets 53-47.
Hornets: Dennis Smith Jr. returned from an ankle injury that had kept him out since Nov. 23. At one point he tried to dunk over James, but the ball slipped out of his hands. James was still called for a foul. ... Ball picked up a technical foul for arguing a call while seated on the bench.

LeBron James scored 43 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Charlotte Hornets 121-115.

LeBron James pours in 43 as Lakers hold off Hornets, 121-115

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; LeBron James scored 30 points, Russell Westbrook had 15 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers smoothly overcame Anthony Davis' latest injury in a 126-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.
Davis missed the second half with a right foot injury, but the Lakers still produced some of their prettiest team basketball of the season down the stretch of their second win in six games. Westbrook had his second triple-double off the bench this season, while Thomas Bryant scored 21 points, Austin Reaves 16 and Dennis Schr&ouml;der 15.
&ldquo;The pace changed, and the game changed,&rdquo; Westbrook said. &ldquo;You could see it. When we play that way, it's hard to beat us.&rdquo;
The victory was particularly satisfying after the Lakers blew a late lead in regulation and lost to the Celtics in overtime on Tuesday night.
&ldquo;It's huge, especially after the heartbreak loss we had last time against Boston,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;We started to get defensive stops, and we were able to get out and execute offensively.&rdquo;
Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Nuggets, whose three-game winning streak ended. Jamal Murray scored 23 points and Aaron Gordon had 17, but Denver couldn't keep up with the Lakers' second-half surge.
Coach Michael Malone lamented the Nuggets' lack of &ldquo;urgency to get back, effort to get back, toughness, resiliency, whatever you want to call it&rdquo; in the second half of their second loss in three meetings with the Lakers this season.
Davis apparently got hurt when the star big man landed awkwardly after a layup attempt under the basket in the first quarter, although he kept playing until halftime. Davis had X-rays at the arena, and coach Darvin Ham said Davis will be evaluated again Saturday before the Lakers determine the severity of the injury.
&ldquo;(When) we know something, then we go from there,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;Wish the best of news for sure, especially for AD.&rdquo;
James took over at center in Davis' absence, sometimes guarding the 6-foot-11 Jokic and grabbing nine rebounds. He catalyzed LA's offense along with Westbrook, who revved up to produce one of his best halves of basketball since joining his hometown team last season.
Davis scored 10 points in the first quarter, but went scoreless in the second while playing eight minutes. He didn&rsquo;t return from the locker room with his teammates for the second half.
The injury creates a new wave of uncertainty about Davis' perpetually problematic health. He is averaging 28.8 points and 12.4 rebounds per game this season despite managing lower back stiffness for several weeks.
After leading the Lakers to a 2020 championship in his first season alongside James, Davis played in about 50% of the Lakers&rsquo; games over the past two years while bedeviled by numerous injuries. The eight-time All-Star has missed only four games this season while enjoying a return to his dominant form from his best seasons in New Orleans and Los Angeles.
Denver and Los Angeles have already met three times this season, and they'll conclude their series Jan. 9 in Denver. Lakers coach Darvin Ham got his first career victory when his team beat the Nuggets on Oct. 30.
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr. missed his 11th straight game with a heel injury, but he participated in Denver's shootaround. ... Denver got just 23 points off the bench.
Lakers: Wenyen Gabriel missed his sixth straight game with a sprained left shoulder. ... Juan Toscano-Anderson sat out with a sprained right ankle. ... James passed Hakeem Olajuwon for ninth place on the NBA's career steals list.
&nbsp;

LeBron James scored 30 points, and the Lakers overcame Anthony Davis' latest injury in a 126-108 victory over the Nuggets.

Davis injured, but LeBron leads Lakers past Denver 126-108

The NBA has suspended Los Angeles Lakers guard Patrick Beverley three games for forcefully shoving Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton from behind during their game on Tuesday night.
The league added that the suspension was based on his "history of unsportsmanlike acts."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The following was released by the NBA. <a href="https://t.co/eKsauMBRKU">pic.twitter.com/eKsauMBRKU</a>
&mdash; NBA Communications (@NBAPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1595859917289967616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

The three-game suspension will cost Beverley $268,965 in salary.
&ldquo;Tough foul, hard foul, Austin [Reaves] gets knocked down, there&rsquo;s a little bit of chirping going on with Book and Ayton and some of our guys, and then from what I saw, Ayton was just standing there about to walk over him,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-los-angeles-lakers-nba-sports-chris-paul-087fa95f14a46fe75bd63da54f6a6dcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told reporters</a> on Tuesday. &ldquo;And then Pat Bev... you don&rsquo;t want this to be a tough-man competition. You actually want to play tough basketball. But at the end of the day, I&rsquo;m not mad at him. He&rsquo;s there protecting his teammate.&rdquo;
This season, Beverley is averaging 4.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and a steal, while shooting 26.6% from the field, 23.8% from three-point range and 82.4% from the free-throw line.
The Lakers are 5-11, which is the second-worst record in the Western Conference. Check out the incident with Ayton below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Lakers guard Patrick Beverley has been suspended three games without pay for forcefully shoving Suns center Deandre Ayton from behind and knocking him to the court, the NBA says. &ldquo;The suspension was based in part on Beverley&rsquo;s history of unsportsmanlike acts.&rdquo; <a href="https://t.co/tKAPBR8Uzm">pic.twitter.com/tKAPBR8Uzm</a>
&mdash; Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1595862441489215488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

The NBA has suspended Lakers guard Patrick Beverley for three games for shoving Suns' center Deandre Ayton.

NBA suspends Lakers' Patrick Beverley for three games

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Jeremy Roach scored 16 first-half points to help seventh-ranked Duke open Jon Scheyer&rsquo;s coaching tenure with a 71-44 win over Jacksonville on Monday night.
Freshman Mark Mitchell had a team-high 18 points for the Blue Devils, who used a 25-4 run spanning halftime to blow the game open.
It was a quality start to a season of massive change for the Blue Devils, starting with Scheyer taking over for retired Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski. Duke has 11 new players, including the nation&rsquo;s No. 1-ranked recruiting class and two power-conference transfers. The Blue Devils didn&rsquo;t have top freshmen Dereck Lively II and Dariq Whitehead for this one as they recover from preseason injuries.
Mike Marsh scored 15 points to lead the Dolphins, who shot 34% and missed 18 of 19 3-pointers before making two meaningless 3s late.
NO. 1 NORTH CAROLINA 69, UNC WILMINGTON 56
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) &mdash; Caleb Love and RJ Davis scored 17 points apiece and North Carolina began a season of grand expectations by pulling away from UNC Wilmington.
Armando Bacot added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Tar Heels, who were perhaps most impressive at the defensive end. UNCW shot 29.8% from the field.
The Tar Heels, who were the NCAA Tournament runner-up in April, began the new season with the top ranking for the first time in seven years. It&rsquo;s a record 10th time that North Carolina has been ranked No. 1 to start a season &mdash; one more than rival Duke.
Trazarien White scored 19 points for UNCW, which faced a top-ranked team for the first time in program history.
NO. 2 GONZAGA 104, NORTH FLORIDA 63
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) &mdash; Drew Timme scored 22 points, Julian Strawther added 16 and No. 2 Gonzaga used a big first-half run to beat North Florida in both teams&rsquo; opener.
Anton Watson had 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and five steals for Gonzaga, which won its 68th consecutive home game, the nation&rsquo;s longest such streak.
Carter Hendricksen scored 16 points, Jadyn Parker 13 and Jose Placer 12 for North Florida, a veteran-laden team from the Atlantic Sun Conference that returned its top four scorers from last season.
NO. 3 HOUSTON 83, NORTHERN COLORADO 36
HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Marcus Sasser scored 21 points, J&rsquo;Wan Roberts added 12 points and six rebounds, and Houston opened the season by beating Northern Colorado.
Sasser, a preseason All-American, scored 11 points in the first half. He finished 7 of 14 from the field and made 4 of 8 3-pointers. The senior guard missed the second half of last season and all of Houston&rsquo;s run to the Elite Eight with a toe injury.
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson won his 700th career game and 200th with the Cougars.
Matt Johnson II, Riley Abercrombie and Caleb Shaw each scored eight points for the Bears.
NO. 4 KENTUCKY 95, HOWARD 63
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) &mdash; Antonio Reeves scored 22 points, CJ Fredrick had 20 and Kentucky beat Howard with All-American Oscar Tshiebwe and two other players sidelined.
Tshiebwe had a procedure last month on his right knee. Point guard Sahvir Wheeler (right leg) and sophomore forward Daimion Collins (personal reasons) were also out, but the Wildcats still shot 55% against the overmatched Bison.
Jacob Toppin and freshman Cason Wallace each added 15 points for Kentucky.
Kobe Dickson scored 17 points and Elijah Hawkins had 14 for Howard, which shot 34%.
NO. 5 KANSAS 89, OMAHA 64
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) &mdash; Jalen Wilson had 19 points and 11 rebounds, Gradey Dick added 23 points in his debut, and Kansas began defense of its national championship without suspended coach Bill Self by routing Omaha.
Bobby Pettiford Jr. added 13 points, Dajuan Harris had 11 points and eight assists, and Texas Tech transfer Kevin McCullar Jr. scored 10 for the Jayhawks, who broke open a close game in the second half with two big runs.
Self served the first of a four-game punishment along with assistant Kurtis Townsend as part of the fallout from a 2017 federal investigation into college basketball corruption.
Jaeden Marshall scored 13 points and Luke Jungers had 12 for the Mavericks.
NO. 5 BAYLOR 117, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE 53
WACO, Texas (AP) &mdash; Adam Flagler scored 21 points to lead six players in double figures as Baylor won the opener of its 20th season with coach Scott Drew.
Flagler, a preseason All-Big 12 pick who also was the Bears&rsquo; leading scorer last season, also had eight assists and one of his four 3-pointers started a 24-0 run midway through the first half.
LJ Cryer had 16 points and Dale Bonner, another returning guard, had 14.
Alvin Stredic scored 14 points and Terry Collins 10 for Mississippi Valley State in its first game for new coach George Ivory.
NO. 9 CREIGHTON 72, ST. THOMAS 60
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) &mdash; Baylor Scheierman made back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the second half to give Creighton the lead for good.
Arthur Kaluma scored 17 points, Trey Alexander had 12 and Scheierman added 11 as the Bluejays won their 25th opener in 26 years.
St. Thomas, a Summit League member beginning its second season in Division I, gave the Bluejays all they could handle until the last few minutes. Andrew Rohde had 15 points to lead the Tommies.
NO. 10 ARKANSAS 76, NORTH DAKOTA STATE 58
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) &mdash; Trevon Brazile had 21 points and 12 rebounds in his debut as Arkansas won its season opener.
Brazile, a sophomore transfer from Missouri, scored six straight points during an 11-0 run early in the second half that gave Arkansas a 16-point lead with 15 minutes left.
Wichita State transfer Ricky Council led the Razorbacks with 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting.
Grant Nelson and Boden Skunberg had 17 points apiece to lead North Dakota State.
NO. 11 TENNESSEE 75, TENNESSEE TECH 43
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Tyreke Key came off the bench to score 17 points and Tennessee beat Tennessee Tech in both teams&rsquo; opener.
Key, an Indiana State transfer, connected on 4 of 8 3-pointers to ignite a sluggish Volunteer offense. Zakai Zeigler scored all but two of his 12 points in the second half.
Brett Thompson led the Golden Eagles with 15 points.
NO. 12 TEXAS 72, UTEP 57
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) &mdash; Tyrese Hunter scored 18 points to lead Texas past UTEP in the debut of its new arena.
Hunter, a transfer from Iowa State, was 6-of-8 shooting and added five rebounds. Ze&rsquo;Ri Onyema led UTEP with 10 points.
Texas this season moved to the $375 million Moody Center on the edge of campus, leaving behind the old Frank Erwin Center after 45 years.
NO. 13 INDIANA 88, MOREHEAD STATE 53
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) &mdash; Preseason All-American Trayce Jackson-Davis and freshman Malik Reneau each scored 15 points, helping Indiana beat Morehead State in the season opener for both teams.
The Hoosiers have won all six matchups in the series and are 26-0 all-time against Ohio Valley Conference foes.
Mark Freeman led the Eagles with 14 points, and Drew Thelwell had 11 for the OVC favorites.
NO. 14 TCU 73, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 72
WACO, Texas (AP) &mdash; Mike Miles hit a 3-pointer with 51 seconds remaining to finally put TCU ahead to stay against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which built an early 20-point lead in the season opener for both teams.
Miles, the preseason Big 12 player of the year, hit from deep beyond the top of the key for a 71-68 lead.
Emanuel Miller had 15 of his 19 points in the second half, and Miles finished with 15 points for the Horned Frogs. They returned all five starters and five other scholarship players after winning their first NCAA Tournament game since 1987.
Shaun Doss had 25 points with four of Arkansas-Pine Bluff&rsquo;s 13 3-pointers.
NO. 15 AUBURN 70, GEORGE MASON 52
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Wendell Green Jr. scored 16 points while K.D. Johnson and Johni Broome each had 12 to lead Auburn to a season-opening win over George Mason.
The Tigers weren&rsquo;t really challenged much in their first game since losing NBA first-round draft picks Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler.
Ronald Polite III led George Mason with 10 points, and Victor Bailey Jr. had nine.
NO. 16 VILLANOVA 81, LA SALLE 68
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) &mdash; Caleb Daniels scored 24 points to make coach Kyle Neptune a winner in his Villanova debut.
Neptune replaced Hall of Famer Jay Wright, who retired in the offseason. The Wildcats returned three starters (a fourth, Justin Moore, was injured) from the team that lost a national semifinal game to Kansas. Eric Dixon added 20 points for Villanova.
Daniels made his first five 3-pointers and the Wildcats used an early 10-0 run to put away their city rival and spoiled 74-year-old coach Fran Dunphy&rsquo;s return to the bench.
Josh Nickelberry scored 22 points to lead the Explorers.
NO. 17 ARIZONA 117, NICHOLLS STATE 75
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) &mdash; Azuolas Tubelis scored 23 points and Arizona went on a massive opening run to begin its second season under coach Tommy Lloyd with a rout.
Ballo scored 18 points, helping Arizona set a school record with 71.7% shooting from the floor against the reigning Southland Conference regular-season champions. The Wildcats opened the game with a 30-4 run.
Micah Thomas led Nicholls State with 20 points.
NO. 18 VIRGINIA 73, NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL 61
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) &mdash; Kihei Clark and Reece Beekman sparked a 15-2 second-half run, and Virginia beat North Carolina Central after blowing a 16-point first-half lead.
Armaan Franklin led Virginia with 21 points in the season opener for both teams, and Francisco Caffaro had 10.
Justin Wright scored 20 and Eric Boone had 18 for the Eagles, who used a 12-0 run just after halftime to go ahead. But Clark hit a 3 and Beekman followed with a steal and a breakaway.
NO. 19 SAN DIEGO STATE 80, CAL STATE FULLERTON 57
SAN DIEGO (AP) &mdash; Darrion Trammell hit three 3-pointers during a 29-10 run to open the second half and finished with 18 points as San Diego State beat Cal State Fullerton.
Fellow newcomer Jaedon LeDee and Lamont Butler scored 11 points apiece and Nathan Mensah had 10 for the Aztecs, who won their 10th straight season opener and their 17th in 18 seasons.
Vincent Lee scored 11 and Jalen Harris 10 for the Titans, the defending Big West Conference champions.
NO. 20 ALABAMA 75, LONGWOOD 54
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) &mdash; Freshman Brandon Miller had 14 points and 13 rebounds in his debut as Alabama beat Longwood.
Fellow freshman Rylan Griffen also scored 14 for the Crimson Tide, and point guard Mark Sears had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Freshman guard Jaden Bradley added 11 points and six boards.
Alabama held Longwood to 27% shooting and blocked nine shots. Michael Christmas led Longwood with 12 points.
NO. 21 OREGON 80, FLORIDA A&amp;M 45
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) &mdash; N&rsquo;Faly Dante had 16 points and 10 rebounds as Oregon opened with an easy win over Florida A&amp;M.
Keeshawn Barthelemy added 13 points for the Ducks, ranked to start the season for the ninth straight year. Will Richardson scored 11.
Jordan Tillmon and Jordan Chatman had eight points apiece for the Rattlers, who have 11 new players. Florida A&amp;M coach Robert McCullum was on Oregon coach Dana Altman&rsquo;s staff from 2014-17.
NO. 22 MICHIGAN 75, PURDUE FORT WAYNE 56
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) &mdash; Hunter Dickinson had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and freshman Jett Howard added 21 points in Michigan&rsquo;s season-opening win.
After Purdue Fort Wayne opened an 8-4 lead, Michigan went on a 20-0 run to take control.
Quinton Morton-Robertson scored 15 points and Bobby Planutis added 13 for the Mastodons.
NO. 23 ILLINOIS 87, EASTERN ILLINOIS 57
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) &mdash; Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 24 points and Coleman Hawkins had 23 points and 12 rebounds as Illinois cruised past Eastern Illinois.
Dain Dainja added 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Illini, who outrebounded the Panthers 53-30 in the opener for both teams.
Kinyon Hodges scored 14 points and Yaakema Rose added 10 for Eastern Illinois.
NO. 24 DAYTON 73, LINDENWOOD 46
DAYTON, Ohio (AP) &mdash; Mustapha Amzil scored 14 points, DaRon Holmes II and R.J. Blakney each had 13 and Dayton beat Lindenwood in a sluggish opener for both teams.
Dayton was without injured point guard Malachi Smith and didn&rsquo;t play particularly well until late, but it had a large margin for error against Lindenwood, which was playing its first game after moving up to Division I.
Chris Childs had 15 points for the Lions, who shot 33% from the field.
NO. 25 TEXAS TECH 73, NORTHWESTERN STATE 49
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) &mdash; Daniel Batcho had 12 points and 10 rebounds as Texas Tech rolled past Northwestern State in both teams&rsquo; opener.
Texas Tech broke it open late in the first half and led 42-23 at halftime.
Isaac Haney led Northwestern State with 16 points.

It was a quality start to a season of massive change for the Blue Devils, starting with Jon Scheyer taking over Duke's program.

Roach leads No. 7 Duke past Jacksonville in Scheyer’s debut

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

March Madness is underway!
Across the country, teams are competing in conference tournaments and trying to punch their ticket for the NCAA Tournament. Selection Sunday is almost here, and then the tourney starts next Tuesday.
If you missed any of the Day 2 action, here's a recap of what went down on Thursday.
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Games of the Day
Indiana def. Michigan 74-69 &mdash; B1G Second Round
With 11:03 remaining, Michigan led 60-43 and appeared to be in complete control. The Hoosiers would go on a 20-2 run and took the life right out of the Wolverines, completing the comeback by winning 74-69. Trayce Jackson-Davis led all players with 24 points and 4 blocks in a stunner. Indiana faces No. 1 Illinois next.
Texas A&amp;M def. Florida 83-80 in OT &mdash; SEC Second Round
This one was wild. The Aggies dominated all afternoon and held a 9-point lead with 1:07 to play, but the Gators went on a 12-3 run of the next 50 seconds to tie it at 70-70, forcing the game into overtime. They stayed deadlocked at 78-78 with 1:10 left in overtime when Hassan Diarra hit a triple with one second on the clock to win 83-80. A huge win for a true Bubble Team in A&amp;M.
Arizona def. Stanford 84-80 &mdash; Pac-12 Quarterfinals
The largest lead either way today was 7 points &mdash; in a game where Stanford was given a whopping 5% chance of victory. The Cardinal took a 75-74 lead with just over three minutes to go, but the Wildcats had answers. Kerr Kriisa exiting with injury is important to monitor, but Christian Koloko led the team with 24 points as Arizona survives and advances.
Miami (FL) def. Boston College 71-69 in OT &mdash; ACC Quarterfinals
Kam McGusty led the Canes with 16 points in the nail-biter, as they avoided the upset in overtime. Only one basket was scored in the final 2:30 of the contest &mdash; a Jordan Miller layup that sealed the deal. A big save by Miami.&nbsp;
Villanova def. St. John&rsquo;s 66-65 &mdash; Big East Quarterfinals
The Red Storm let a 17-point second half lead slip away to end their season. Villanova was carried by its starting five, with only 7 points coming from the bench unit. Caleb Daniels led the way with 19 points and 7 rebounds. Justin Moore added 15 points of his own.&nbsp;
Toledo def. Central Michigan 72-71 &mdash; MAC Quarterfinals
In a game where the largest lead was 7 points for each team, Toledo held on for the 1-point win. Harrison Henderson scored with 20 seconds remaining to make it 71-70 Central Michigan, but a RayJ Dennis layup with 10 seconds left would seal the deal. Setric Milner Jr. led the way with 22 points for the Rockets. It's a big win for Toledo who currently projects a No. 13 seed.
Providence def. Butler 65-61 &mdash; Big East Quarterfinals
This one was back-and-forth from the tip, as the teams traded leads the entire contest. Tied at 55 with 3:06 remaining, Simas Lukosius hit a big pair of free throws for Butler to take the lead, but Al Durham hit a huge triple with 43 seconds to go for the Friars to take a 61-59 lead. Durham would follow with a dunk at the end of the game to seal the deal at 65-61. Despite the loss, it was a hard-fought game by the Bulldogs.&nbsp;
Wyoming def. UNLV 59-56 &mdash; Mountain West Quarterfinals
The Cowboys held a 9-point lead in the second half, but allowed the Rebels to fight their way back into it. Xavier DuSell hit a huge three with 30 seconds, and then, Brendan Wenzel iced the game with a pair of free throws. A great game from UNLV&rsquo;s Bryce Hamilton comes up just short.&nbsp;
Akron def. Buffalo 70-68 &mdash; MAC Quarterfinals
This was a fight from start to finish. Led by Ali Ali&rsquo;s 19-point effort and a pair of Greg Tribble free throws with four seconds remaining, the Zips survive and advance. They will face No. 1 seed Toledo on Friday afternoon in the MAC semis.
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The Upsets, the Madness
Oklahoma def. Baylor 72-67 &mdash; Big 12 Quarterfinals
The Sooners took the lead with 11:51 to play and never gave it back. With a balanced offensive attack of five players in double-digits, Oklahoma shocked the Bears. Jacob Groves led the way with 15 points, while Marvin Johnson provided 12 off the bench.&nbsp;
Vanderbilt def. Alabama 82-76 &mdash; SEC Second Round
Bama led by 10 points at the break but Scotty Pippen Jr. and Co. had other plans. Vandy roared back to take a 68-67 lead with 4:26 to play, and was able to hold the Crimson Tide off the rest of the way. Jordan Wright hit a pair of free throws late to ice the game, and the Commodores advance. Pippen Jr. ended with 26 points and 7 assists.
TCU def. Texas 65-60 &mdash; Big 12 Quarterfinals
The Horned Frogs had a win probability of 29.3% entering this one, and that&rsquo;s all they needed. After being down 40-20 in the first half, TCU did a complete 180 and outscored the Longhorns 45-20 the rest of the way. Mike Miles and Co. are setting themselves up well, and will take on the Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 semis.
Penn State def. Ohio State 71-68 &mdash; Big Ten Second Round
The Nittany Lions were given a 24.2% chance of winning today, and they did just that behind Sam Sessoms' 18 points off the bench. Jalen Pickett also had a huge game with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Penn State moves on to play No. 3 Purdue.&nbsp;
Grambling def. Southern 60-58 &mdash; SWAC Quarterfinals
Led by Tra&rsquo;Michael Moton&rsquo;s 12 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, Grambling took the lead with 10 minutes left in the game and never gave it back. The Tigers will face Texas Southern next.&nbsp;
Tulsa def. Wichita State 73-67 &mdash; American First Round
The Golden Hurricane had four players with 10 or more points, including two with at least 20. After an 11-19 season, this was a nice win for Tulsa as it tries to make a late push in the conference. Tulsa will move on to face No. 2 SMU.&nbsp;
Portland State def. Southern Utah 77-65 &mdash; Big Sky Quarterfinals
The Vikings entered this game under .500 on the season, but put up 77 points on 51.9% shooting from the floor. They held Southern Utah to a lowly 36.8% from the floor and are able to advance.
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Standout Performers
Noah Fernandes (UMass): 29 points, 7 assists
Spencer Jones (Stanford): 28 points, 8 rebounds
Jimmy Boeheim (Syracuse): 28 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Grant Sherfield (Nevada): 25 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds
Joel Murray (Long Beach State): 25 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds
Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana): 24 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 10-17 FG
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke): 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
Nate Watson (Providence): 26 points, 7 rebounds, 9-14 FG
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt): 26 points, 7 assists
Tristen Newton (East Carolina): 26 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
Jordan Walker (UAB): 26 points, 5 steals, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
EJ Liddell (Ohio State): 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State):&nbsp;25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Christian Koloko (Arizona): 24 points, 9 rebounds, 10-12 FG
Dillon Jones (Weber State): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Prentiss Hubb (Notre Dame): 23 points, 5 assists
Zyon Pullin (UC Riverside):&nbsp;23 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds
Amadou Sow (UC Santa Barbara): 21 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Bryce Hamilton (UNLV): 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Mahki Morris (Abilene Christian): 22 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds
Chuba Ohams (Fordham): 20 points, 16 rebounds, 2 steals
Darien Jackson (Tulsa): 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
Brady Manek (UNC): 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists
Malique Jacobs (Kent State): 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists
Kowacie Reeves (Florida): 21 points, 6 rebounds
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2022 NBA Draft: Prospect Watch&nbsp;
Keegan Murray (Iowa): 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Wendell Moore Jr. (Duke): 26 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
EJ Liddell (Ohio State): 25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Orlando Robinson (Fresno State):&nbsp;25 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists
Christian Koloko (Arizona): 24 points, 9 rebounds, 10-12 FG
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (UCLA): 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals
Tari Eason (LSU): 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Justin Lewis (Marquette): 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals
Ochai Agbaji (Kansas): 18 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals
Trevor Keels (Duke): 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Jabari Walker (Colorado): 18 points, 16 rebounds
Iverson Molinar (Miss. State): 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Julian Champagnie (St. John&rsquo;s): 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists
Collin Gillespie (Villanova): 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists
David Roddy (Colorado State): 13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks
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March Madness is underway! If you missed any of the Day 2 action, here's a recap of what went down during Thursday's games.

March Madness: Conference tournament Thursday recap

The first weekend of the 2021-22 NBA regular season is here, as every team has now played meaningful action to start off the campaign.
As much as we love the game of basketball, there are a number of things about the NBA that grind our gears, and we usually vent about these things on social media or among friends. However, today we're going to air out those frustrations here!
In our latest Roundtable, we asked our BasketballNews.com writers the following question:
What is your biggest NBA-related pet peeve?
Alex Kennedy: I hate the constant whining for foul calls. It has gotten really, really bad. There were always a handful of players who would whine to the refs, but it feels like more and more players are doing it these days. Now, you see it in every game. The other day, I went to an NHL game and I kept noticing instances when a player could&rsquo;ve whined about the officiating or flopped, but it didn&rsquo;t happen. It made me miss the days when whining was less common in the NBA. I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;m alone here; I think this annoys a lot of fans, and I hope the NBA addresses this. (Getting rid of <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/how-the-nba-is-trying-to-eliminate-unnatural-foulbaiting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unnatural foul-baiting</a> is a good start.)
Nekias Duncan: For the love of God, if a defense forces an airball that would result in a shot clock violation and they retrieve the ball, LET PLAY CONTINUE. DO NOT BLOW THE PLAY DEAD.
Spencer Davies: I've got two. The first I'm going to steal from our good friend Scott Hale: Biting on every pump fake. It's especially maddening when it's a veteran (like a Lou Williams, who does it every single game), yet the young guys who watch the tape to prepare for it still can't just stay on their feet! My second one is when shooters spot up in the corners and position themselves out of bounds. I know there's not much room there, but it drives me nuts.
Ethan Fuller: This goes out to the media: Stop leaning on criticizing work ethic, motor and heart when you do not have an intimate understanding of a player as a person. Do athletes have mental lapses or get frustrated on the court? Of course. But these are the 450-ish best basketball players on the planet, and the work they do day-in and day-out to even stay in the league is unfathomable. There are very rare cases where these criticisms actually have merit, but they're too often a lazy cop-out from actual analysis.
Moke Hamilton: The league addressed two of them for me: one was allowing three-point shooters to draw fouls by jumping into defenders and the other was having way too many West-coast games begin at 10:30 p.m. ET. Many of the national games have been moved up 30 minutes, so that helps a ton. I, like many other fans, still get annoyed by the thin line between a block and a charge, but I don&rsquo;t think that will ever not be a thing in the NBA. Maybe both FIBA and the NBA should consider removing the foul-out rule and instead levy harsher punishments against teams and players the more fouls they commit. For example, if a player commits a sixth personal foul, the opposing team gets three free throws plus the ball, and each subsequent foul he commits results in one additional free throw (or something like that). Fouling out doesn&rsquo;t rise to the level of a pet peeve for me, but it&rsquo;s something unique to basketball that does sometime ruin a team&rsquo;s chances of winning a game and the fan-viewing experience.
Jannelle Moore: One of my biggest pet peeves about the NBA is the way it's covered. In my opinion there's a purpose for everything in terms of coverage. We have analysis and straight-laced reporters for obvious reasons. We have people pushing narratives and takes for a reason. The problem is that there seems to be an imbalance &mdash; more coverage on storylines than the actual action on the court.
Evan Sidery: When a player obviously commits a foul and they look around in disbelief. The latest example was when Michael Porter Jr. stiff-armed someone like Derrick Henry driving towards the basket on Wednesday night, then he was stunned that a foul was called. Maybe the adrenaline is pumping so much that they don't notice, but when it's so obvious, it can definitely be a personal NBA pet peeve.
Blake Hairston: My biggest pet peeve for the NBA is all of the jersey rules. Since Nike has taken over the league's apparel, players have been wearing some of the coolest new styles as well as bringing back some classic styles as well. But why outside of the "Icon," "Association" and "Statement" jerseys do they have to change every year? Once a team has a jersey, they should be able to continue wearing it in the following years &mdash; in addition to any new jerseys if the players or fans like it. If a playoff team has achieved the "Earned" jersey, it should be in the equipment room and allowed to be worn for as long as Nike remains the apparel provider. It feels very regulated.
Alexander Cohen: I hate when preseason highlights are shown in career highlight reels. All of a sudden, we're saying a play that doesn't count is a crowning achievement of a career. Why not include practice highlights? Where do we draw the line?
Mark Gunnels: My biggest NBA pet peeve is all the threes teams shoot, even if they don&rsquo;t have good three-point shooters, because analytics say so.

What is your biggest NBA-related pet peeve? BasketballNews.com's writers shared their thoughts.

Roundtable: What is your biggest NBA-related pet peeve?

Perhaps the biggest frenzy of the NBA Draft cycle comes after the draft is completed.&nbsp;
Mere minutes after pick No. 60 is revealed, newsbreakers are reporting out fully-guaranteed deals, two-way contracts and Summer-League additions around the NBA. We've created a place for you to keep track of these moves.
Below are the notable reported agreements, listed by team.
Atlanta Hawks
Ibi Watson (G), Dayton --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JShawNBA/status/1421137851316592641" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Shaw/HoopsRumors</a>
Boston Celtics
Sam Hauser (F), Virginia&nbsp;-- two-way contract agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420983228396101637" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Brooklyn Nets
David Duke (G), Providence --&nbsp;agreed to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/John_Fanta/status/1420974779868266496" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Fanta/Fox Sports</a>
Brandon Rachal (F), Tulsa --&nbsp;agreed to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/TUMBasketball/status/1421125766197047296" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tulsa Athletics</a>
Charlotte Hornets
DJ Carton (G), Marquette --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420986452947648515" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Chicago Bulls
Ethan Thompson (G), Oregon State --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1420978552816738304" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
Cleveland Cavaliers
Chandler Vaudrin (F), Winthrop --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/Winthrop_MBB/status/1421089611539955715" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Winthrop Athletics</a>
Dallas Mavericks
Carlik Jones (G), Louisville --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420991380395073537" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Eugene Omoruyi (F), Oregon --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420979430927777792" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
E.J. Onu (F), Shawnee State --&nbsp;agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyWoo/status/1420979723069427713" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Woo/Sports Illustrated</a>
Feron Hunt (F), SMU --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/GrantAfseth/status/1420993320994721799" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grant Afseth/Sports Illustrated</a>
LJ Figueroa (G), Oregon --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1421280618210603009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Zagoria</a>
Denver Nuggets
Giorgi Bezhanishvili (F), Illinois -- Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1421113026917412871" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Zagoria</a>
Detroit Pistons
Chris Smith (F), UCLA&nbsp;-- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420979150559535104" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
John Petty (G), Alabama --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/mikerodak/status/1421109144896032776" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mike Rodak/AL.com</a>
Anthony Tarke (F), Coppin St. --&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AnthonyTarke/status/1420988333094801412" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agrees to unspecified deal</a>
Spencer Littleson (G), Toledo --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1420998599605985284" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
Golden State Warriors
Jaquori McLaughlin (G), UCSB&nbsp;-- agrees to unspecified deal, <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1421072913881567233" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Jordan Schakel (F), San Diego State -- Summer League agreement, <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1420999272997261313" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per Bryan Kalbrosky/USA Today</a>
Colbey Ross (G), Pepperdine --&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/cdot_ross/status/1421145317387366410" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Summer League agreement</a>
Houston Rockets
Matthew Hurt (F), Duke -- <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1421275019322306560" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agrees to two-way contract, per Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Indiana Pacers
Terry Taylor (G), Austin Peay -- agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420984014735872000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Duane Washington Jr. (G), Ohio State --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420969644601614337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Los Angeles Clippers
-- None reported so far --
Los Angeles Lakers
Mac McClung (G), Texas Tech --&nbsp;agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420976989918441472" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Joel Ayayi (G), Gonzaga --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420969546995933186" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Austin Reaves (G), Oklahoma --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1420972297150779394" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryan Kalbrosky/USA Today</a>
Chaundee Brown (G), Michigan --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1420984245250674693" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Givony/ESPN</a>
Alan Griffin (G), Syracuse --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1421204946226143232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Zagoria</a>
Memphis Grizzlies
Romeo Weems (F), DePaul -- agrees to Exhibit 10 deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420969722217209856" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Yves Pons (F), Tennessee&nbsp;-- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420972279698231296" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Keaton Wallace (G), UTSA --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1421143975965175811" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy/BasketballNews.com</a>
Miami Heat
RJ Nembhard (G), TCU --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420989119702970369" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
AJ Lawson (G), South Carolina --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420987461744959489" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Javonte Smart (G), LSU -- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420981941042622464" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
D.J. Stewart (F), Mississippi St. -- Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1420974202774040576" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy/BasketballNews.com</a>
Marcus Garrett (G), Kansas --&nbsp;agres to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1421138197623492618" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel</a>
Dejon Jarreau (G), Houston&nbsp;-- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1421138197623492618" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel</a>
Micah Potter (C), Wisconsin -- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/1421138197623492618" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ira Winderman/South Florida Sun Sentinel</a>
Dru Smith (G), Missouri --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1421127877521707011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryan Kalbrosky/USA Today</a>
Milwaukee Bucks
Mike Smith (G), Michigan -- Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1420974489488314371" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
Jalen Crutcher (G), Dayton --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JonChep/status/1421174764979298307" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jon Chepkevich/Rookie Scale</a>
Minnesota Timberwolves
McKinley Wright IV (G), Colorado -- agrees on two-way contract, per<a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420970500071858176" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Isaiah Miller (G), UNC Greensboro --&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Nike_Beast23/status/1420982966201749506" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agrees to unspecified deal</a>
Matt Lewis (G), James Madison --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, as announced on Instagram
New Orleans Pelicans
Jose Alvarado (G), Georgia Tech --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ksugiuraajc/status/1420975067232718850" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ken Suguira/Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>
New York Knicks
Aamir Simms (F), Clemson -- agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1421068449963548676" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Oklahoma City Thunder
-- None reported so far --
Orlando Magic
Asbjorn Midtgaard (C), Grand Canyon -- Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420993281954045954" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Jeremiah Tilmon (F), Missouri --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA/status/1420977542056534017" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alex Kennedy/BasketballNews.com</a>
Philadelphia 76ers
Aaron Henry (G), Michigan State --&nbsp;agrees to two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420968768130404353" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Daishen Nix (G), G League Ignite --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamZagoria/status/1421183526666481668" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adam Zagoria</a>
Phoenix Suns
-- None reported so far --
Portland Trail Blazers
Trendon Watford (F), LSU --&nbsp;plans to sign two-way contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420972774269628423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Mark Vital (F), Baylor --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1421126065183985671" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Givony/ESPN</a>
Sacramento Kings
D.J. Steward (G), Duke --&nbsp;agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420981965608693760" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Matt Coleman (G), Texas --&nbsp;agrees to training camp deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JeremyWoo/status/1420979002383142914" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Woo/Sports Illustrated</a>
Damien Jefferson (F), Creighton --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1421098072759799810" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Givony/ESPN</a>
San Antonio Spurs
Justin Turner (G), Bowling Green --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1420986657222897667" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
Matt Mitchell (F), San Diego Sate --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1420996575120314368" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryan Kalbrosky/USA Today</a>
Biram Faye (F), Gran Canaria --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1421100846201417733" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Givony/ESPN</a>
Toronto Raptors
Justin Champagnie (F), Pittsburgh --&nbsp;agrees to unspecified deal, per <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1420978690935169027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN</a>
Moses Wright (F), Georgia Tech --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://www.ajc.com/sports/georgia-tech/moses-wright-going-to-summer-league-with-raptors/DUKAEVIODRFQ7BUBD56U6VUDO4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ken Suguira/Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>
Utah Jazz
MaCio Teague (G), Baylor --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeAScotto/status/1420974669235200005" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michael Scotto/HoopsHype</a>
D.J. Funderbunk (F), NC State --&nbsp;Summer League agreement, per <a href="https://twitter.com/JShawNBA/status/1421212803151671312" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Shaw/HoopsRumors</a>
Washington Wizards
Jay Huff (C), Virginia -- agrees to Exhibit 10 contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/1420983981667983361" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fred Katz/The Athletic</a>
Jordan Goodwin (G), St. Louis --&nbsp;agrees to Exhibit 10 contract, per <a href="https://twitter.com/FredKatz/status/1420983666877075457" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fred Katz/The Athletic</a>

BasketballNews.com tracks every report of Summer League signings and pending contracts.

Undrafted Free Agent Tracker: Reported contracts and Summer League deals

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 10, 2021) &ndash; USA Basketball and MGM Resorts International, a leader in the sports and entertainment industry, today announced an expanded, multi-year partnership, tipping off this July in Las Vegas. As part of the partnership, MGM Resorts will be the Official Training Camp Home of the USA Basketball Men&rsquo;s and Women&rsquo;s National Teams, as well as an Official Integrated Resorts Partner of USA Basketball and an Official USA Basketball Exhibition Tour Partner.
As the new Training Camp Home of the USA Basketball Men&rsquo;s and Women&rsquo;s National Teams, MGM Resorts, in partnership with USA Basketball, will host four additional countries in Las Vegas, creating a must-see international basketball competition prior to the teams&rsquo; departure for Tokyo.
Fans will have the opportunity to watch seven USA Basketball Men&rsquo;s and Women&rsquo;s National Team exhibition games July 10-18, as both teams take on top international opponents in preparation for this summer&rsquo;s historic competition. The lineup includes a rare opportunity to see both the USA Men&rsquo;s and Women&rsquo;s National Teams play live on the same day, July 16 and 18, as well as opportunities to see three additional matchups between the other foreign national teams. Each of the five days of exhibition games will be doubleheaders. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, June 16 at 10 a.m. PDT, and ticket information is available online at <a href="https://click.usabasketball-email.com/?qs=88fbd98d6fc9fe8449117206f0054af7511277b689768138d5a27e8e283fc46325163dd90d1c2b611380e5b94f4a9bb8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://axs.com/USABasketball</a>.
&ldquo;USA Basketball is proud to expand its partnership with MGM Resorts. We&rsquo;re excited to bring our national teams to their properties as we prepare for the challenging competition that lies ahead this summer,&rdquo; said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball CEO. &ldquo;Training camps are such an important foundation for our preparation and having such a strong commitment from MGM positions us for great success.&rdquo;
Lance Evans, Senior Vice President of MGM Resorts, Sports, said, &ldquo;MGM Resorts and Las Vegas have an extensive history with USA Basketball. This expanded partnership will allow us to showcase our resorts as we host multiple USA Basketball games at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay, as well as a variety of USA Basketball-related activities. We look forward to offering hoops fans another reason to visit the Sports Capital of the World.&rdquo;
After opening camp on July 6, the USA Men&rsquo;s National Team will tip off a five-game exhibition series against Nigeria on July 10 (5 p.m. PDT); followed by Australia on July 12 (5 p.m. PDT); Argentina on July 13 (3 p.m. PDT); Australia for a second time on July 16 (3 p.m. PDT); and Spain on July 18 (6 p.m. PDT).
The USA Women&rsquo;s National Team members will arrive from their respective WNBA teams at the start of the Olympic Break and are scheduled to face Australia on July 16 (11:30 a.m. PDT), immediately preceding the USA Men&rsquo;s National Team vs. Australia game, and then will take on Nigeria on July 18 (2:30 p.m. PDT), immediately preceding the USA Men&rsquo;s National Team vs. Spain game.
International teams also will play each other in Las Vegas, including the men&rsquo;s side Argentina vs. Australia on July 10 (8:30 p.m. PDT), Argentina vs. Nigeria on July 12 (1:30 p.m. PDT) and Australia vs. Nigeria on July 13 (6:30 p.m. PDT).
Comprehensive health and safety protocols will be in place, including mandatory and regular COVID-19 PCR testing, administered to athletes, coaches, officials and staff in accordance with FIBA and USA Basketball recommendations and CDC guidelines.
The rosters for training camps are to be announced, but they will be comprised of members of the USA Men&rsquo;s and USA Women&rsquo;s National Teams.&nbsp;
The USA men are led by head coach Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) with assistant coaches Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors), Lloyd Pierce and Jay Wright (Villanova University), with Jerry Colangelo as the USA Men&rsquo;s National Team managing director.
The USA women are guided by head mentor Dawn Staley (South Carolina) and assistant coaches Dan Hughes, Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) and Jennifer Rizzotti (Connecticut Sun president).
About USA Basketball
Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and chaired by retired Gen. Martin Dempsey , USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the U.S. by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee (USOPC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA national teams that compete in FIBA-sponsored five-on-five, 3x3 and esport international competitions, as well as for some national competitions and for the development of youth basketball initiative that address player development, coach education and safety, while promoting, growing and elevating the game.
Connect with USA Basketball at USAB.com and on Facebook (USABasketball, USABYouth), Twitter &nbsp;(@usabasketball, @USABJNT, @USABYouth, @USAB3x3 ), Instagram (@USABasketball, @USABYouth, @USAB3x3) and YouTube.com/usabasketball.

USA Basketball and MGM Resorts International today announced an expanded, multi-year partnership, tipping off this July in Las Vegas.